Hidden Truths
by Master Tonberi
Summary: A very short romance about Momo and Rei. ^_^


8/16/98 (around 10 am) to noon  
  
Breath of Fire III fan fic  
  
This story has MANY MANY MANY spoilers. Do NOT READ if you don't wanna know what happens!  
  
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!  
  
This story deals with my two favorite BoF3 characters- Momo and Rei. (It's told from Momo's view, for the most part)  
  
  
  
Hidden Truths  
  
(at least I think so)  
  
or. . .  
  
Why Rei and Momo were weren't  
  
standing near each other at the  
  
end...  
  
I never expected two little kids to suddenly pop into my workshop that day. Or any day, at that. Ryu and Nina were so cute and so serious for kids! I had no idea what kind of ride I'd be taken on when I helped them. But I don't regret it. Not one bit. I got out of my tower, and saw the world. I met some weird people, too. Nina, the princess of Windia. Garr, a Guardian as old as the machines I love. Peco, a cute little onion-thingie. Rei, a punk thief out for revenge. And Ryu, the last of race dragons, who brought us all together.  
  
Things started out innocent enough. I was going to help two poor kids away from some bullies with the help of my dad's machines. But then they needed me at the Plant, then those two bullies kidnapped us and we had to fight in a tournament! Thankfully, that's were we met Garr and he helped us. He talked Ryu and Nina into going to Angel Tower. I was a little concerned, but I supposed it was for the best. Then the King of Windia tried to stop Nina, and my little friend Honey the robot helped. Isn't Honey soo cute? ^^  
  
But then, at the Tower, Ryu disappeared mysteriously... So we split up, promising to meet each other again, someday. Honey and I went back to the Plant to help them grow the enhanced crops. After a while, the crops began to fail, slowly becoming more and blander in taste. And then, years later, while I was wielding who should show up but Ryu himself! Unfortunately, at first, I didn't recognize him. Well, it'd been so long and he looked so different. We gathered in the Inn and caught up on old times, what Nina had been doing, what Garr had been doing, and where Ryu was. Then... there was the quiet one who didn't say much. Nina introduced him as one of the two people Ryu was searching for so long ago. I was surprised, he looked about my age. I thought he'd be younger, like Ryu and Nina's age. But Rei wasn't. I wondered what was up with him. He didn't say much, and he didn't seem to like me much. But I shrugged it off.  
  
It really wasn't until we met up with the Black Ship that something happened...  
  
"Okay. . . but I don't know if this is a good idea." I said loudly as I aimed my bazooka at the Black Ship. Nina was watching eagerly, as Ryu seemed to as well. Garr didn't seem to have any emotion, and I couldn't even see Rei. So I forgot that cats don't like water... I squeezed the trigger and shot the Black Ship.  
  
For a moment, nothing happened. Then, lasers shot out at us. Zig was barely able to move the boat in time, but we got away okay. I fell back, and Ryu disappeared into the cabin. I took a seat near the door, I hadn't even noticed Rei.  
  
"Smooth move, genius." He muttered loudly. I looked over at him, and he glared back at me. "What were you thinking?"  
  
"It's not like it was all *my* idea." I snapped back. His comments hurt; I was just trying to help everyone. But then Ryu came by, and just to get on Rei's nerves some more, I suggested ramming into the Black Ship's sloped side.  
  
I didn't really think they'd do it. . .  
  
"Now don't tell me THIS wasn't your idea!" Rei shouted at me as we picked up speed to ram into the boat. I was holding on to the railing, not to far from him. I had one hand on the rail and the other on my head to keep my hat on. I turned suddenly to face him, letting go of the railing.  
  
"Now listen here, you ungrateful- Aaaaah!!" I was stopped in mid sentence as we knocked into the Black Ship. I was knocked off my feet and expected a hard fall to the ground, but instead I met someone's arms and he broke my fall, both of us landing on the deck. He was still holding onto me when the boat stopped. But then he let go quickly.  
  
"I only did that. . . so you can. . . redeem yourself. You gotta help Ryu." He stood up, leaving me still sitting on the floor and left. I sighed and shook my head. Honey beeped a concern and I smiled at her.  
  
"He's got his reasons, I'm sure." I told her and stood to join the others.  
  
Things didn't pick up again until we'd reached the new world. We explored, found people like zombies, and a teleporting device that brought us back to our world. I thought that was good, because we had no boat to go back, and Rei hated boats anyway. But then... we made it to the Dragnier. A town of the Brood, were they called Ryu their long lost Prince! We all gathered to met their elder, who eventually only wanted to talk to a pretty lady. I stepped up to him, but he teased me and so did Rei. Nina was the one he wanted. . . oh, well.  
  
"What's the matter?" I was standing outside of the Inn later that night, and I was surprised to hear Nina's voice. I jumped a little bit, but smiled at her. "You're not upset about what the elder said about you. . . are you?" She joined me outside.  
  
"Ah? Oh, no. . . well, kinda. But that's not all." I said, playing with the end of one of my braids.  
  
"Then what is it?" She asked with a smile.  
  
"Well. . . look how far we are. We're where the machines come from. . . and yet there are no machines to be seen!"  
  
"Oh. . . that's right. That's why you came." Nina said softly.  
  
"Oh, no, don't get me wrong! I came to help Ryu, too. But still. . . I was really looking forward to seeing some machines that no one else has ever seen!"  
  
"I see, I see." She smiled again. "I'm tired. . . I'm going back inside." With that, she disappeared back inside. I sat down on the ground, looking up at the stars.  
  
"Is it true?" This time it was Rei's voice that surprised me. "You're just here to see machines?" He came around the corner. I frowned and pulled my knees to my chin.  
  
"Maybe, maybe not." He was rude to me earlier; I can be rude right back.  
  
"You're not here for Ryu?"  
  
"I. . . I am."  
  
"Huh."  
  
"And what about you, Mr. Punk? Aren't you here for revenge?" I snapped back. He looked surprised but he frowned.  
  
"I'm here 'cos Ryu's like my brother. I can't let him go off like this without me to protect him."  
  
"You don't trust us?"  
  
"I don't trust that big guy, but you, the Princess and the onion are nothing to worry about. The onion don't do nothing. The Princess means well, but she's kinda useless. And you. . . with your bright ideas, he may not come back in one piece. So I'm here." His words were making my blood boil. We were all there to help Ryu, and he was insulting us!  
  
"Okay, that's it." I said, turning to face him. "I know some bad things happened to you a long time ago. And you've got some weird power that resembles the Brood. But you have no excuse for insulting us like that! We're here helping Ryu because he's our friend, and we care!"  
  
"Yeah, so? Lookit what's happened! You LOST him for YEARS! Some great friends!" That was  
  
too much for me. . . When we lost Ryu, everyone's heart was broken. He couldn't know how we felt, and now he was insulting that, too. I slapped him hard before either of us could really know what was happening.  
  
"Wha-wha-" He stammered, holding his cheek. I stood up, trying to ignore the pain in my hand, and walked to the door.  
  
"We care for Ryu. Don't insult us like that." I said coolly.  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
The desert was hell. That's where we went next. . . Nights of walking through endless sand, and days so hot I could barely stand. We were just about to make it to that Oasis town when that stupid monster attacked. And then poor Nina got sick. We feed her the rakda meat, and she was well enough for us to get her to the town.  
  
Rei was pacing outside when I went out for a breath of fresh air. I stood by watching him, he looked worried.  
  
"What's the matter?" I asked, stepping out. It'd been a while since I slapped him.  
  
"I-- nothing." He said gruffly. He continued pacing.  
  
"You're worried about Nina, aren't you?" I asked, trying not to grin too much.  
  
"Rrrr. . . . back off, brainy." He growled softly. I shrugged and turned to walk off.  
  
"Try not to show too many emotions there, tiger boy. People may start thinking you're a nice guy underneath it all."  
  
* * *  
  
Caer Xhan was my dream come true. And entire city from the Machine Age! It was getting dark when we got there so, the others went to the Inn. But I couldn't stand still. I took off to explore this wondrous city, and it was well after midnight when someone else joined me. I was inspecting the mechanics of the sliding doors when Rei snuck up on me. I didn't here him until he cleared his throat, causing me to jump about a foot.  
  
"I wanted to tell you something." He said before I could turn around. I stood up and brushed myself off, facing him. I leaned against the building. He had clasped his arms behind him, and was looking at the ground. "I should'a said this a long time ago, too."  
  
"So. . . go on. I'm listening." I said, crossing my arms over my chest. He moved closer, and looked up at me.  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
That caught me off guard.  
  
"You're what?" I asked.  
  
"Sorry." He said again. "I'm sorry for being a jerk. I didn't mean to insult you. . . well. . . Ryu means a lot to me. I lost him once. . . I don't wanna lose him again." I sighed softly. He was telling the truth, I could tell. I wanted to comfort him. . . "I dont wanna lose anyone I care about. And. . . I've started to care about you guys. I don't wanna lose any'a you." Then he looked up at me. "Even you. Even though you scare me sometimes with those crazy contraptions and weird ideas, I still don't wanna lose you." Then he did something that surprised me. He grabbed my wrists and then leaned forward and brought his lips onto mine. I was really surprised then. I expected him to break it off quickly, but he didn't. I closed my eyes, and went with the flow.  
  
* * *  
  
We explored the city the next day. I think Nina noticed that Rei had changed a bit, becoming more protective of not just me, but us all. And then we found that "Station Myria". . .  
  
* * *  
  
It was just like any other dungeon thingie we went through. Of course, that room of Honeys just kinda freaked me out. But then we found this room that looked like it didn't belong. . . a room that was a big garden. We were almost out of it when we were approached by a weird young man with purple hair.  
  
"Te. . . Teepo!" Rei shouted, realizing who it was. "You're not dead!" I was taken back, this was the kid that Rei almost killed an entire town for? I knew by now that when Rei cared for someone, he was very protective.  
  
"Rei. . . it's you." Teepo said. He sounded like he was dazed. I didn't like the look of it. "And Ryu."  
  
Then Teepo went into this long story about how he was a Brood, too. I could feel Rei's surprise, and I wanted to do something, but there was nothing to do before suddenly, everything went black.  
  
When I woke up, Teepo was standing in front of us. Then I watched in surprise as Teepo turned into a dragon. We had to fight him. . . I knew this wouldn't be easy on Rei. But. . . suddenly, he had no emotions. He fought bravely. . . and when Teepo died, he took it well. I had a feeling he was bottling it up inside. . .  
  
* * *  
  
Things were quite until Honey suddenly broke away from us. I knew that when Honey went off on her own, it meant trouble. So I quickly followed, and saw her open some huge gates. Then we followed up to this library that was mentioned, and I knew were going to see god.  
  
* * *  
  
She had a point. I found out that Myria really did have a point, she was just looking after her "children". But she limited so much-- she was definitely an overprotective parent. No one liked it. . . Rei was the first to let her know.  
  
"I'm like a kid, see? If you tell me to sit down, it just makes me wanna run around more, right?" He grinned at her and pulled his knives. With a slight smile, I summoned my bazooka. Garr made a small speech about how we weren't going to hand over Ryu so easily.  
  
Then the goddess blasted Rei.  
  
I was caught off guard, and was only able to watch in horror as Rei disappeared from my reach. I turned to face the goddess, ready to attack, when she did the same thing to me. Suddenly, I was drifting towards my tower. . .  
  
And then, just as quick, I was back with the other. And Peco was talking!  
  
The goddess gave Ryu a choice, to fight or give up his powers.  
  
We fought. We fought with all we had. The goddess needed to be taught a lesson, and we did it.  
  
* * *  
  
Garr didn't make it back out with us. . . it was his duty to bring Ryu to the goddess, and he'd done it. It was over. He was turned to stone and that was that. . . And Peco disappeared, too. The whole place was falling apart. . . Nina and Ryu were running behind me to get out. And Rei was. . . Where was he? I was ahead of everyone. . . then he was there, and Nina and Ryu caught up. We made it out. . .  
  
* * *  
  
We sat on the cliffs overlooking the desert, looking at the clear blue sky. Nina and Ryu were a good deal behind us. Peco had disappeared. . .  
  
"It's over." Rei said. He was squatting down next to me. "What're you gonna do now?"  
  
"I suppose I'm just gonna go back home. . . and work on the Plant. What about you?"  
  
"I guess I'll just go back to Cedar woods. . ."  
  
We sat there in silence for a minute.  
  
"Oh, who are we kidding?" I laughed. "Ryu and Nina are staying here to help build a new way of life here. I'm staying. . . aren't you?"  
  
"Yeah. . . yeah, guess I am." He grinned slowly at me. Then he got that look in his eyes again. I knew was going to happen now. . . He leaned forward, and kissed me again. Then we heard Ryu and Nina coming, and Rei jumped up, surprised. I blushed and he ran a few feet away. We looked at each other and smiled as Ryu and Nina joined us.  
  
* * *  
  
A small seed sprouted in the desert. . . .  
  
  
  
The End 


End file.
